ESOCS Devotional 6 July 2025 – Love Supersedes All
MEMORY VERSE: “Love suffers long and is kind. Love does not envy. Love does not exalt itself; is not puffed up, does not behave unbecomingly, does not seek its own…..” 1 Corinthians 13:4-5 IKJV
TEXT: 1 CORINTHIANS 13:1-13
Though I speak with the tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I have become sounding brass or a clanging cymbal. 2 And though I have the gift of prophecy, and understand all mysteries and all knowledge, and though I have all faith, so that I could remove mountains, but have not love, I am nothing. 3 And though I bestow all my goods to feed the poor, and though I give my body to be burned, but have not love, it profits me nothing.
4 Love suffers long and is kind; love does not envy; love does not parade itself, is not puffed up; 5 does not behave rudely, does not seek its own, is not provoked, thinks no evil; 6 does not rejoice in iniquity, but rejoices in the truth; 7 bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.
8 Love never fails. But whether there are prophecies, they will fail; whether there are tongues, they will cease; whether there is knowledge, it will vanish away. 9 For we know in part and we prophesy in part. 10 But when that which is perfect has come, then that which is in part will be done away.
11 When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things. 12 For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.
13 And now abide faith, hope, love, these three; but the greatest of these is love.
Read Other ESOCS Devotional Here
The emphasis of Saint Paul in this text points to the fact that demonstration of love is the most excellent way for Christians to live. With love in the background, the exercise of spiritual gifts receives tremendous boost. Little wonder the Lord and Master maintained that on love hangs all the entire Law and all the demands of the Prophets (Matthew 22:37-40).
Also, and as spelt out in the Holy Writ, love has a sacrificial quality. It entails the total pouring out of one’s life in selfless concern for others. Saint Paul himself demonstrated so much love and selflessness to the brethren in the Corinthian Church. He showed them so much love, as a father would do to his children (1 Corinthians 4:15). Paul earnestly did seek the good for others, even at the detriment of his own interest (1 Corinthians 10:33). Paul’s succinct advice to all believers is that whatever they do – both in the secular life and ministry, they should do everything with love (1Corinthians 16:14).
Paul personifies love as one who manifests or exhibits special characteristics, including: long-suffering, not envious, not exalting itself, not puffed up, not selfishly seeking its own, not easily provoked, thinks no evil, nor does love behave unbecomingly.
To cap it all, a true believer must, as a matter of necessity, love every one – including enemies (Matthew 5:43-44). This is the easiest way to evangelize, and prove to the world that we are truly children of the Most High God. God Himself is love, and all who profess to be His own, must live out love. No more, no less.
CHALLENGES
- Love and forgiveness are like twin sisters. Do you agree?
PRAYER POINT
- God, grant me the loving lifestyle of the Messiah, as demonstrated, even unto death.
FURTHER READING: Psalms122:1-9; Daniel 5:16-31; Acts 15:1-12
ESOCS Devotional 6 July 2025
